NORTHERN'S poor Queensland Cup record against the Sunshine Coast has continued with the Pride falling to a 16-6 loss in the grand final rematch at Barlow Park.

An enormous workrate in the first 30 minutes eventually told on the Pride, which tired as conditions deteriorated in the second half.

An error from the kick-off consigned the Pride to a mountain of defence in the opening stages of the game, with the visitors scoring twice in the opening eight minutes.

Despite defending valiantly and eventually settling into its work, the Pride's chances of bouncing back late in the game were scuttled when the heavens opened in the second half making handling a nightmare.

Both teams failed to add to their tallies in a scoreless second term, with the Pride paying for its poor start.

The home side conceded five penalties in the opening 20 minutes and was down 10-0 after the Sea Eagles scored twice in the first eight minutes.

The result leaves the Pride winless from three clashes against the Coast and still smarting from last year's grand final loss to the Sea Eagles.

The Pride started on a poor note, with new five-eighth Ryan Stig's kick-off heading out on the full and giving the Coast a penalty on halfway.

While they weathered the first wave, the Sea Eagles scored the next set when second-rower Darcy Lassick barged over as the Pride failed to number up on the line.

The Pride piggy-backed the Eagles upfield on their next possession through a penalty and were made to pay with Jamie Buhrer crossing to give the Coast a 10-0 lead once his try was converted.

With a 5-0 penalty count against it in the opening 20 minutes, the Pride was forced to do a mountain of defence and did well to concede just two tries in that period.

Once it controlled the ball, the Pride was able to exert its own pressure on the Eagles.

When Chris Sheppard came up with a 40-20 in the 28th minute, the Pride scored in the following set, Mark Dalle Cort crossing out wide.

Stig's conversion put the Pride back in the game at 10-6.

But they paid dearly for a handling error from the restart, with Sea Eagles fullback Dennis Sandow racing over from the resulting scrum and converting his own try to give the visitors a 16-6 halftime lead.

The heavens opened as the second half kicked off, making handling difficult for both teams.

The Pride let several chances go begging by trying too much in the conditions.

It had the best of the chances in the second half but could not capitalise, taking out the corner post before being able to ground the ball in the 65th minute; being chased down by cover defence in the 75th minute and losing the ball with the line open in the 77th minute.

Clint Amos and Joel Riethmuller were placed on report for a lifting tackle in the 22nd minute, with Sea Eagles winger Michael Chapman reported for the same offence just before halftime.

James Tamou lined up for the Pride after missing out on a run with the Cowboys on Friday night.

SUNSHINE COAST SEA EAGLES 16 (Darcy Lassick, Jamie Buhrer, Dennis Sandow tries; Sandow 2 goals) d NORTHERN PRIDE 6 (Mark Dalle Cort try; Ryan Stig goal).

Full coverage in The Cairns Post tomorrow.

 

Share this article